Electric motor control system



March 13, 1951 H. CONVISER ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM Original Filed Feb. 18, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 1

INVENTOR. HARRY CONV/SER BY March 13, 1951 H. CONVISER 2,545,343

ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM Original Filed Feb. 18, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 DISPLACEMENT SIGNAL IN V EN TOR.

HARRY C ON V/S E R 1977'0f/VEY- March 13, 1951 H. CONVISER ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM Original Filed Feb. 18, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. HARRY CONV/SE/Q BY Patented Mar. 13, 1951 ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM H ry G n is nv Ar slev N- Y, nssignor to Bendix A i ion Corp ration, te horo, N; Jun sor p rotion of D laware Original application February 18, 1946, Serial No. 648,490. Divided and this application, April 20, 1949, Serial No- $8,6 57

5 Claims, 8-4

This invention relates generally to control systems such as automatic steerin systems for air or water craft, for example, and constitutes a, division of my application Serial No. 648390, filed February 18, 19%.6 now Patent Number 2,487, 69? issued November 8 1949,

Co ol s st thi g r l arac er are ep n ed by eopending app i at n Serial o: 62, file No m er 1 19.44., is Deoem= er 2, as S- iaten No, 3 9 64 and are a a d. r u wi automa c s ee i systems or a rorai such y em em d ing a thermal dela ou lin evise op ra ing on a h at or: ha e re io for provid n wh n need in on neoti n Wi h d rection, ec ion ra e, bani; or p te isp ac men si nals, antornat o trim. flint tions o n sed in o neotion W h rudd r. iler n o ele ator follow-up s na as anti-- hn t s pedien h a ra rovided with such. a m, was sub c ed to a p rs ing dis 2 pla eme l, h h ma del y c uplin was operative to provide an average displage nent sig-. nal upp o th partionla ont ol snrfaoe h ne s ere f r ret nin to and ma n ining he ra in a f ren e position Whether in azimuth or in a itude.v

The sys em des r b d in t e nd ng a pliesti n r i d primar l upon a heat exchan e prin eipie so h a rela ively lon per od in ect e w n the re p se i one oi oni to the op at on f a s nd ircui In some inst-ant s. it is es ra o provide a time delay eonpiine ha ing a mo e r p d t m onst nt than hat of the eopen ns applicat on a d to th end the nov l system of the p esent inven n is DIQVid'.

ed wh ch cons i t s an improvement o r he afor m ti ned open n ppl cat on...

- An bject of' he present n ention. therefore, is o pro de a no e con rol sy em uti izin a me del y coup in de i e os es i a rapid time a t interp sed betwe n a contro l d and a n ro ing ap ratus Another object of the in ntion is to provide a no el t e m time dela de i e having a rapid time constant.

' A iur her bieot is to pro ide a n vel contr system adap e o use ith au omatic steerin s stems. r mo le cr ft wh reby th lat er w ll be re ia ain d su stan al y on a p e cribed c u se. and/or n a pr dete mined atti= tno A h ob e o h i ntion i to p ovide n v au matic s i g y tem for mob le trait; a a t d r p ssing hun in t e eoi abou any or all of its axes. oi control. wh reby dead. h at opera on oi t e graft is obtai ed and/o adap ed for retnrn ng and maintaining a cra t sob: stentially in da um after a c ang in di placement due to a chang in l a momen A further b ect. to provi e a nove antihunting prov i n in th na ur o an err r averging mec an sm havi a rapid time cons ant for an automatic; stee ing sis ein io mobile craft wh reby the trait will e ovid d with proper da pening about any one o all o s ontrol 3X85.

Another iurther biee i to provide a novel and relativel simple antorna o trim rran e: ment or automa io control s stems or mot le oraf A further. obi ot is. to rovide a novel tirne sielay device having a rapid time constant and @111 erating on a em er tu e i e athe thana hea t ansfer or erohanee princip e- The above and ior her o jects and nove fee: hues of he nv ntion will mo e f lly appear fr m the llowing detailed 'de eript o when he some ead in oonn o io w th the aoeornpanyi s d awing It s to be exp s understood, howe er. that the drawings are or purp ses oi illustration only and are not intended as a def e ni ion of the limits oi t e inv nti In the drawings wherein like, reference char: asters refer to like parts throughou the ev ra views,

Figure .1 s wiring diagr m of a on entional Wheats ohe prisise -oironit;

F gure a. wi in diagram o the main hriose. circ it of. Fi ure 1 with the resi tor oi one arm. thereof olaoed. by second cont ol b idge eiren Figure 3 is a iew simi a o Fig re 2 Wi h two atiioinine arms. of the br dge compri in two con ol b dg sir-shits; I

F gure 4 s a d a rammatic i rati n i an a omatic s ering svste or ne ontrol a s o mobile trait incorpora n the novel sub ect m tte f th presen i vention in t e oll wenp chan el thereof; and

Figure is a w s mila to th t of igure a having t novel pro isi of th p sent inven= ti n appli to the spla em nt channel hereoi- Ref rr ng now to th raw n s tor a m re de: ta led. description an m re arti ularl to Fi ure 4 ther o the novel de ay c upling o the present. invention is show applied to an an ornatio pilot of the genera eharao r sho n and de: scribed i eop g application fierial No, 51 ,483, file Decemb r 3.1, 194 Th dis lae merit signal. for controlling the position or a oon= 3 trol surface H1 is derived from a signal generating device, generally designated with the reference character H, which device may comprise the gyro stabilized magnetic pick-up device of the latter application where the present invention is applied to automatic rudder trim or which may comprise the electrical pitch or bank takeoff of the aforementioned application where the invention is applied to automatic elevator or aileron trim.

As more fully described in copending application Serial No. 516,488, the displacement signal is fed by generator through conductors l2 and I3 to the grid 54 of a tube |5 of a servo amplifier l6. Plate ll of tube l5 connects through parallel conductors l8 and IS with grids and 2| of tubes 22 and 23, the plates 24 and 25 of the latter tubes being connected by way of conductors 26 and 21 with a split secondary winding 28 of a transformer whose primary winding 29 connects with a suitable source of alternating current (not shown) such as the crafts power supply.

Magnetic reactors 30 and 3| are provided between each plate 24 and 25 andits related connection with secondary winding 28. Each of the reactors comprises a soft iron core (not shown) having primary windings 32 and 33 connected in series with each other and with the current source through leads 34 and 35 which may be tapped to the leads feeding primary winding 29. Furthermore, each reactor is provided with a secondary winding 36 and 31 which areconnected in series opposed relation and have output leads 38 and 39. In addition to the primary and secondary windings, each reactor is provided with leads 2% and 27.

game

impressed on grids 2i] and 2| will be of such a character that it will pass from a zero to a negative maximum value so that no current will flow at plate 24 but will flow at plate 25 and within lead 21. In such event, the core of reactor 3| will become saturated thereby decreasing the currents induced within secondary 2'! and the network will again become unbalanced whereby currents will flow at leads 33 and 39 in an oppositedirection to reverse the operation of motor 43.

In order to prevent overcontrol of surface I!) and'also to impart stability to the craft to prevent oscillation thereof, an electrical follow-up system is provided in the nature of an inductive device 49 comprising a wound stator 50 energized from the craft source of supply and an inductively coupled wound rotor 5| which is mounted by a shaft 52 for angular motion by motor 43, the driving connection between the motor and the Output leads 38 and 39 of the series opposed secondaries connect with one phase winding 42 of a two phase motor 43, whose second or fixed phase winding 44 is connected with the crafts source of power. Motor 43 is adapted for driving a servomotor 45, connected through cables 46 with control surface Ii through a gear reduction system 41 and a normally engaged solenoid operated clutch 48.

With the craft in a predetermined attitude, with no apparent deviation about its pitch axis, for example, the signals at grids 20 and 2| from generator H are at zero so that the network is balanced and the current at output leads 3B and 39 of the reactors is zero because secondaries 36 and 31 are in series opposed relation so that induced currents in one secondary balance the induced currents in the other secondary.

Upon the occurrence of a deviation from a predetermined atiitude a'signal will bedeveloped by generator I l which may be considered to be passing from zero to a positive maximum value at grids 2!! and 2| of tubes 22 and 23. Assuming that, at that moment, the current at plate 24 of tube 22 is passing from zero to a positive maximum value, the current at plate 25 of tube 23 will be passing from zero we negative maximum value so that no current will flow in saturating winding 4|. Current, however, of a pulsating character will fiow at lead 26 and, therefore, within saturating winding as a result of which the core of reactor 30 will become saturated so that currents induced in secondary 36 will be decreased causing network unbalance and creating. current flow in one direction within leads 3 and 39 to energize motor 43.

If craft deviation is in a direct opposite to that above described, the signal from generator rotor being a permanent one and independent of whether or not clutch 48 is engaged or disengaged. Normally, rotor 5| is maintained in a null position, i. e., one in which the electrical axis of the rotor winding is normal to the resultant magnetic field at that stator. Motion from the null position on the part of rotor 5|, during operation of motor 43, causes the inducement of a signalwithin the rotor winding which is led off and impressed upon grid l4 of tube l5 by way of conductors 53 and a transformer 54, having a primary 55 and a split secondary 56 and 51 the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The signal generated within rotor 5| is in opposition to the displacement signal within generator I! and increases with increased motion of surface It! until a given point is reached, at which time the signal of rotor 5| is exactly equal and opposite to the displacement signal to thereby wash out the displacement signal at which time motor 43 is de-energized and control surface I0 has attained a deflected position proportional to the displacement signal.

With the surface Ill in its applied position and motor 43 de-energized, the craft begins to return to its prescribed reference. In doing so, the displacement signal developed by generator I starts to diminish in value while the follow-up signal of rotor winding 5 I, being at a maximum, becomes predominating and energizes motor 43 in a reverse direction to start bringing surface |il back to a neutral position, motor reversal being determined by current flow in an opposite one of saturating windings 48 or 4| to the one having current flow therein upon initial craft departure from datum as explained above. With reverse motor operation, the signal in rotor 5| diminishes until the rotor attains its null wherein, unless another displacement signal originates at generator II, the control surface and generator Will be in synchronism. For further stability and prevention of overcontrol, a rate of displacement signal may be utilized in addition to the displacement signal for controlling surface II] in the manner fully described in copending application Serial No. 516,488. I

As pointed out in'copending application Serial No. 562,823, now Patent Number 2,432,036, undercontrol will occur in the steering system described in the event of a load change so that the craft will not be returned to datum but to some attitude parallel to datum. This means that the original trim adjustment which maintained the craft in datum is no longer satisfactory for the new condition due to load change. By means of the present invention a novel arrangement is pro-- a tuatevided which provides the necessary additional sig= Hill for automatically supplementing the ori inal trim adjustment to return the craft substantially to datum.

in place of the heat exchange or transfer device of copending application Serial No. 562,823, now Patent Number 2,432,636, there is provided by the present invention a novel time delay coupling utia lizing a temperature change principle thereby having a more rapid time constant than devices heretofore known of this character. For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to Figure 1 of the drawings where four resistors 80, BI, 52 and B3 are shown arranged in a conventional Wheatstone bridge circuit. The, resistors are of equal value so that if a voltage is applied to the bridge across conductors 64 and 6:: no voltage will appear at conductors B6 and El since these points are of equal potential. Con.- versely, it a voltage is applied at conductors 56, 61 no voltage will appear at conductors 64, 65. It has been discovered that two voltages of similar or widely varying magnitude, frequency and/or wave form may be simultaneously applied across conductors El, E5 and 65, El, respectively, without any interaction or frequency or phase distortion.

In conformance with this characteristic, one arm 01 the bridge of Figure 1 constituted by re: sistor 83, for example, may be replaced, as shown in Figure 2, by four equal heat-responsive resistors 68, 69. 1D and H arranged in a bridge which may constitute an aux iary or contr l bridge for the main brid e: Opposi e co ners of he co trol bridge are connected by wa oi conduc ors .2 to a source oi s nal voltage and. with he appeara ce of a s nal across onductor l2. curre t wil flo throu h he f arms f th con r l bri g but o i terac ion W l result b twe n that cur e and the current of the main. bridge. Curren .flow in the control bridge, however, manifests itself in a temperature rise in the arm of the main bridge constituted by the control bridge to thereby un lance he main. ridge wher up n current from conductors 64 and 65 will flow at conductors 66 and 61- By further replacing resistor 82 of the bridge of Figure l with four equal heat-responsive resistors 13, l4, l5 and 16 arranged in the form of a second auxiliary r on rol bridge. as h n in Figure 3 and connecting opposite corners of the latter contro1 bridge y Way o conductors ll to a source of signal voltage, the direction or" cur: rent flow at utput conduct s 6. ill of the m bridg may be reversed p n ng upon Wh ther signal voltages are applied to conductors 12 or n of th contr l idge n his mann r, by applying a direct current, or rectified current, p ls squa e Wa e or d r ed Wave o any fr qucncy o cond s 2 or 1 of t control bridg a s ne w e or any o r d sir d wa e form may be controlled at the main bridge in magnitude and/0r polarity. The general arrangement of Figure 3 thus constitutes a time delay device constituting h s bje m ter f. the pr se t inventio hav a rap d me c n stant nd adapted. or use w r it d fi e time la is desired b tween a c rol d circui i its response to the operation of a controlling cir, cult. If desired, moreover, the two control brid s may be a a ged and constructed in the f rm of a scaled or vacuum tu e as shown in copending application Serial No. 648,449, filed Feb, ruary 1946, now Pa ent No, 2,525,179-

For purpos s of pro idin an automa ic trim provision for the steering system hcreinabove de- 1 and follow-up signal at grid is of tube l5.

scri d the no el. me de ay de ice h reof sh wn. in i ure c as. applied to th followup.

channel of he system. To. th s end. conductors 12 of one control bridge are, connected across a secondary 18 of a transformer 19 Whose primary 83 is in circuit with a plate 8! of a dual triode tube 82 while conductors ll of the second control bridge are connected across a secondary 83 of a transformer 84 Whose primary 85 is in circuit with a plate 85 of tube 8.2. Grid 8'! of. the tube is connected with one end of secondary Winding 5'! of transformer 54 while grid 33. is Connected with the opposite end of the secondary, the latter being center tapped and grounded as shown, Output conductor 6! of the main bridge is con.- nected to grid ill of tube l5 while output cone ductor 66 is connected to one end of secondary winding 58, the other end of which, likewise, con. nects with grid I4.

For a single and. minor displacement of the craft from course or attitude a signal is de: veloped by generator ii and amp ified to energiz motor 43 whereby control surface [9 is actuated to change craft course or attitude. Operation of motor 53 displaces rotor winding 5! of the in.- ductive followup device to develop a follow-up signal therein which is communicated through leads 53 and transformer 54 through secondary 55 thereof to be impressed upon the displacement signal at grid !4. Even though some signal is communicated to grids E"! and 88 of tube 82 it is insufficient to make the time delay coupling effective.

If, on the other hand, the displacement is of a persisting character, current flow develops at plate ill or 86. depending upon the. direction of the follow-up signal, to provide a signal at either secondary 18 or 33 to provide current flow at control bridge conductors 72 or ll. The tcmpsras ture of the control bridge receiving the current rises to thereby unbalance the main bridge whereupon current from the source feeding con.- ductors B4 and flows at output conductors 65 and 6'! to be impressed upon the displacement action of the time delay coupling is oi such a character as to develop a .iur her or a e a e displacement signal whereupo th c ft is returned o i d tu in t e face of the existence of the er in displacement signal! While the arrangement has be n. illustrated d ri ed hereinabove onne tion with the follow-up signal channel to provide automatic trim control, it may h applied equal y a ell directly to the. displa emen si n l chann l Where it will act. in the na ure oi a di r nt ati n mechanism to impress u n the displacemen i nal a corrective signal which Will ap ly a dampenin fac o to preven aft hunti g. such application ein adapt d or use w h any one or ll of the three o craft con rol.- .To h s nd e rran ment oi Figure 5 is prov ded which comprises sub tan al y e automat c control of Fi ure 4 in ha normal y a dis acem nt s nal orig nati in ene tor H is impressed up n d is of tube !5 and ultima y ner iz s serv no or 53 to ope ate control sur: face lit in res nse to scrr notor operation. a follow-up nal is develo d at rotor W nding to be m r ssed upon the displac ment signal su s n ally in h manner des ribed in conn tion wi h Fi ure llhc dis lacement i nal i om gen rator H is fed to rid. s of. tube 5 by ay oi conductors l2 and I; which. a e connected across the primary winding 96 of a transformer 9i having two secondary windings 92 and 93, winding 92 communicating by leads 94 with the grid I i of tube l5. Secondary winding 93, on the other hand, is center tapped and grounded as shown, and connects by means of leads 95 with grids 86 and n of a dual triode tube 98. Plate is of the tube connects with one end of a center tapped primary winding we of a transformer i i having two secondary windings IE2 and W3 while plate H34 connects with the opposite end of the primary winding. Tube supply is provided by conductors Hi connected with the tube cathodes and a center tap of primary winding ltd. The main bridge supply is fed by conductors 3G and 65 while the output leads of the main bridge are constituted by conductors i665 and ml, the former being connected with one of conductors 9:3 for impressing a signal on grid i i of tube iii and the latter being connected with rotor windings 5|, one end of the latter being grounded as shown.

Assuming displacement in azimuth, generator H develops a signal proportional to such displacement to energize servomotor 33 and operate the control surface. A follow-up signal is developed at rotor winding 5| as a result of servo operation and such signal is fed by way of conductor lt'l through the main bridge of the time delay coupling and conductor 1% to be impressed upon the displacement signal on grid M of tube 15, such displacement signal through secondary winding 92 to the tube. Assuming, further, a persistent displacement defined by a series of course departures due to given disturbances, the displacement signal will, in addition to being impressed upon grid M, be also impressed through secondary winding 93 on either grid 96 or 91 so that current will flow at either secondary winding 502 or IE3 and, therefore, within its related control bridge. Even though current flow within one of the control bridges does not interact with the current of the main bridge it results in a temperature rise of the arm of the main bridge defined by the particular control bridge having current flow therein to thereby unbalance the main bridge whereby current flow therefrom through conductor Hi6 to grid [4 of tube H3. The signal of the time delay device represents an average error signal and is impressed upon the displacement and follow-up signal at grid ht of tube IE to bring and thereafter maintain the craft on a substantially predetermined course or attitude.

Except for the fact that the present invention provides a novel time delay coupling having a rapid time constant and utilizes a temperature rise characteristic to unbalance a normally balanced electrical network and thus provide a definite time interval between the response of one circuit to the operation of a second circuit, the theory and operation thereof in connection with its application as an automatic trim or anti-hunting provision for aircraft is generally similar to theory and operation of the heat exchange or transfer coupling and its application thereto more fully described in copending application Serial No. 562,823, now Patent Number 2,432,036, reference being made thereto for this purpose.

There has thus been provided by the present invention, a novel time delay coupling having a rapid time constant for injecting a definite time interval between the response of one circuit to the operation of a second and controlling circuit. When applied to an automatic steering or control system for mobile craft, the novel coupling device hereof provides a relatively. simple automatic trim provision and/or dampening means for preventing craft hunting about any or all of its axes of control.

Comparison tests for wires of approximately equal diameter on sensitivity and time constant have shown that for equal wattage applied, the arrangement of Figure 3 hereof was substantially thirty times as fast and gave five times the output voltage for one-half the bridge voltage, applied to a heat exchange or transfer device of copending application Serial No. 562,823, now Patent Number 2,432,036.

Although but a single embodiment of the ill-1.

vention has been illustrated and described and: its application shown. to two specific uses, i.,,,.e.;--

claims for a definition of the limits of the inven tion.

What is claimed is: f

1. In combination with an automatic control device for a craft having a control surface movable with respect thereto for controlling said craft about an axis thereof, a servomotor for operating said surface, reference means on said craft for generating a signal in response to a departure of said craft from a, predetermined position to energize said motor, means for producing a follow-up signal upon relative displace-' ment of said surface with respect to said craft for modifying said first signal, time delay means comprising a main normally balanced circuit having connections to a source of current and to said servomotor, a normally balanced control circuit electrically connected to said main circuit which, when energized, undergoes a temperature change to'unbalance, after a predetermined lapse of time following its energization, said main circuit to provide a signal for modifying operation of said motor, and means whereby said control circuit is energized by one of said first two named signals. 7

2. In combination with an automatic control device for a craft having a control surface movable with respect thereto for controlling said craft about an axis thereof, a servomotor for operating said surface, reference means on said craft for generating a signal in response toa departure of said craft from a predetermined position to energize said motor, means for producing a follow-up signal upon relative displacement of said surface with respect to said craft for modifying said first signal, means comprising a main normally balanced bridge circuit having connections to a source of current and to said servomotor, a normally balanced control bridge constituting one arm of said main bridge which, when energized, undergoes a temperature change to unbalance said main bridge to provide a, signal for modifying operation or" said motor, and means whereby said control bridge is energized by one of said first tWo named signals.

3. In combination with an automatic control device for a craft having a control surface movable with respect thereto for controlling said Moreover, the time. constant of the coupling of Figure 3 can be con--.: trolled by the heat capacity of the wire, the sup-.-. porting mounts and the atmosphere within. which it is enclosed.

craft about an axis thereof, a servomotor for operating said surface, referenc means on said craft for generating a signal in response to a departure of said craft from a predetermined position to energize said motor, means for producing a follow-up signal upon relative displacement of said surface with respect to said craft for modifying said first signal, means comprising a main normally balanced bridge circuit having connections to a source of current and to said servomotor, a normally balanced control bridge constituting one arm of said main bridge which, when energized, undergoes a temperature change to unbalance said main bridge to provide a signal for modifying operation of said motor, and means for energizing said control bridg in accordance with the signal of said reference means.

4. In combination with an automatic control device for a craft having a control surface movable with respect thereto for controlling said craft about an axis thereof, a servomotor for operating said surface, reference means on said craft for generating a signal in response to a departure of said craft from a predetermined position to energize said motor, means for producing a follow-up signal upon relative displacement of said surface with respect to said craft for modifying said first signal, means comprising a main normally balanced bridge circuit having connections to a source of current and to said servomotor, a normally balanced control bridge constituting one arm of said main bridge which, when energized, undergoes a temperature change to unbalance said main bridge to provide a signal for modifying operation of said motor, and means for energizing said control bridge in accordance with said follow-up signal.

5. In an automatic control device for a craft having a controlled surface movable with respect thereto for controlling said craft about an axis thereof, a servomotor for operating said surface, reference means on said craft for generating a signal in response to a departure of said craft from a predetermined position to energize said motor, means for producing a follow-up signal upon relative displacement of said surface with respect to said craft for modifying said first signal, means for modifying the operation of said servomotor comprising a normally balanced main bridge and a control bridge forming one arm of the main bridge whereby in response to current flow through said control bridge the temperature thereof is changed to thereby unbalance said main bridge to provide a third signal for said motor, and means responsive to one of said first two mentioned signals for energizing said control bridge.

HARRY CONVISER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,958,258 Alexanderson May 8, 1934 2,2 7,254 Langgasser Oct. 8, 1940 2,432,036 Noxon Dec. 2, 1947 2,440,200 Jofeh Apr. 20, 1948 

